IMAGE Business Woman of the Year 2015 Judges Lunch

Last Chance To Enter Our Businesswoman Of The Year Awards

UPDATE: With only 48 hours left to get entering, it’s time to spread the word and nominate who you think deserves to win!

Women have a confidence issue. Whether it’s a sneaking case of Imposter Syndrome – the feeling you’re a fraud despite the fact you’re more than qualified for the role you find yourself in – or the inability to put oneself forward for professional opportunities, we’re holding ourselves back.

Women for Election, a nonpartisan organisation that encourages politically-minded women to put themselves forward for election, has found that women are less likely to seek selection as a party candidate. While the current Dáil has the highest amount of sitting female TDs ever with 27 elected women, only 16% of our legislative house represents 50% of the country. The anecdotal reason women aren’t running for public office? Confidence. Apparently before a woman decides to runs for election, she needs to be asked. Sometimes they need to be prompted multiple times.

While we’re not talking politics today because of dinner party etiquette, we do want to draw attention to the fact our nominations our open for an annual IMAGE Businesswoman of the Year Awards. We want you to put yourself, or a woman you think is ace, forward. We all know brilliant businesswomen, it’s 2015 after all. Maybe you’re the amazing entrepreneur we’re looking for, a rising star in your industry. Perhaps you’ve been putting in some serious hard graft and feel you deserve some recognition. Is your startup the apple of your investors’ eyes? Well, you should feel damn proud. Or have you been working for a woman that makes your 9-to-5 exciting? Is there a business leader out there who has inspired you to go the extra mile?

We here at IMAGE.ie want to call a halt to all the negative thoughts that are cloaked with modesty. Stop talking your abilities down. Take the compliment. When someone congratulates you on completing a stellar task, bask in that glow. If someone says ‘bossy’, start hearing ‘knows-her-own-mind-and-is-probably-right’. Lean in. Make a bid for brilliance and get nominating. The form is here and all.

If you nominate a candidate for the 2015 IMAGE Businesswoman of the Year Awards, they might win a VIP trip for two to Paris with accommodation at a top five-star hotel from Dublin Airport Club. The winner will fly from Dublin and the experience will start in style as they’ll be treated to free car parking on arrival at the airport, whooshed through security with Fast Track passes and then cosseted in the high-spec Executive Lounge before departure.

If you want to join in the conversation on Twitter and draw our attention to women who should be nominated, use the hashtag #IMAGEinspires.